First Battle of Panipat

The battle was fought between Mongol prince Zahir-ud-Din Muhammad 'BABUR' and Afghan Sultan of Delhi Ibrahim Lodhi. It developed over few years as Ibrahim lost control over his noblemen and wazirs.

Sultan Ibrahim Lodhi of Delhi

The handsome Ibrahim Lodhi multiplied his rigors at Delhi. Mian Bhua the vazir of his father was first thrown in prison then given a cup of poisoned wine. Noblemen like Azam Humanyun (Not Babur's son) and Hussayn Khan Farmuli were assassinated. Daulat Khan Lodhi governor of Lahore was ordered to appear at Delhi,he excused himself and sent his son in his place. Sultan took his son to prison and was shown the bodies of rebels hanging from the walls. "now you know what awaits those who disobey me" said Ibrahim Lodhi to the frightened boy.

Daulat Khan appealed to Babur. "For 30 years " Babur said to him "you have eaten the salt of Lord Ibrahim and of his father, why this?". "It is true that my father and grand father have spent many years in their service,but this sultan prosecutes most faithful of his vassals. Without cause he has put to death 23 of his best men and ruined their families. That is why the nobles have sent me to you to convey their homage,they wait you anxiously."

Babur promised to help Daulat Khan to fight sultan of Delhi Ibrahim Lodhi in 1523 and made many raids into Punjab. In November 1525 he set out to meet the Sultan of Delhi. Passage of Indus took place on 15th December. Babur counted his soldiers and remarked "Good and bad they totaled 12000." Crossing Satluj at Roper and reached Amballa without meeting any resistance. Then finally Sultan came out to fight after consulting his astrologers. April 1st Babur reached Panipat. It was barren wasteland dry and naked with few thorny bushes.Rumors came that Sultan is coming with an army of 100,000 and 1000 war elephants.

Prudently Babur took up a defensive position. He based his right flank upon city walls, a ditch protected his left flank and front lay behind a line of 700 carts tied together with rawhide ropes to break cavalry charges.Every 100 yards passages were provided for his horsemen to ride through for attack. Those passages were heavily defended by his archers and matchlock men. For 8 days he waited for Sultan's attack.

Ibrahim marched slowly and without plan as his officers had never seen such defences before. Mongols have created a fort in middle of a plain his spys informed him. Babur sent out his horsemen to raid Sultan's army on 9th April. After a light engagement Mongol broke and ran back,it was a fient and it worked. Ibrahim was elated at the ease with which his troops had repulsed best horsemen Babur had sent.Overconfident and full of high hope he decided to attack.

Next morning Sultan Ibrahim Lodhi advanced rapidly . At about 400 yards Babur's Cannons opened fire noise and smoke terrified Afghans and the attack lost momentum. Seizing the movement Babur sent out his flanking columns to envelop the Sultan's army. Here Afghans met first time the real weapon of Mongols 'Turko-Mongol Bow'. Its superiority as an instrument of war lay in the fact that it was the arm of the nobles, of the finest warriors. Bow in hand of a Turko-Mongol would shoot three times as rapidly as musket and could kill at 200 yards.

Attacked from 3 sides Afghans jammed into each other. Elephants hearing noise of cannon at close range ran wildly out of control. Ibrahim Lodhi and about 6000 of his troops were involved in actual fighting. Most of his army streaching behind upto a mile never saw action. Battle ended in about 3 hours with death of Ibrahim Lodhi who was at forefront.

And in place where fighting had been the fiecest dead amid the heap of Mongols slain of his sword, lay the vain but courageous Sultan Ibrahim, his head was cut off and taken to Babur' wrote a Mongol historian. When afghans fled they left 20,000 dead and wounded. Losses to Babur's army were heavy 4000 of his troops were killed or wounded. Had Sultan Ibrahim survived another hour of fighting he would have won as Babur had no reserves and his troops were rapidly tiring in Indian mid-day sun. Two weeks later Babur entered Agar where he was presented with the Kohi-noor.